Translational research from the Department of Cardiology MKUH

TCRG Success story 2024

When a pure and simple research finding becomes a clinical reality – an example of a success of translational research from the Department of Cardiology MKUH.

With great pride I am happy to share that our correction factor (CF), to improve transthoracic echocardiography derived LVOT area, therefore SV and AVA measurements using the continuity equation, has been adopted and incorporated in one of the biggest cardiac ultrasound vendor’s latest software release after gaining CE mark and due for FDA approval by the end of the year. We developed the CF using 400 Cardiac CT scans and after internal and external validation using a French Registry on 1450 severe AS patients, we reclassified 39% of patients from severe AS to moderate AS and from low flow AS to normal flow in 77% of the cases. This was associated with better outcome in the reclassified groups. (ref see attached).

On behalf of the researchers involved in this project (authors of the papers) we are grateful to TomTec Imaging systems GmbH and Philips Medical Ultrasound for their support.

Further to this achievement our opinion paper to simplify grading and staging of aortic stenosis patients to facilitate patient selection for aortic valve intervention has been published in Echo Research & Practice by Springer Nature publisher.

We are really pleased that our hard work has paid out and our research has made a small but important translational impact on the field of aortic valve disease.

 doi: 10.1186/s44156-024-00064-x